November 2009 – From Larry’s 70th Birthday Party

Dear Friends

I usually try to share interesting times our life in a somewhat chronological order, but the special event that happened last week is still filling my mind. So before I explain the adventure that saw us accidentally rescuing a boat in the far eastern provinces of France, I will fast forward to Halloween.

About six months ago, Jill Hetherington, one of my neighbors at Kawau Island, stopped to wish us bon voyage just before we set off for another watery adventure. As she left she casually said, “By the way I can give you a hand with Larry’s 70th party.”

“What party?” were the words that sprang into my mind. But she had planted the seed. I began listing the events that marked Halloween for us, his 70th birthday, our 44th anniversary, the day we launched Seraffyn, the day we launched Taleisin. Yes, this did call for a real celebration. Larry became slightly concerned a few months later when I began sending out invitations – 85 of them to be exact, but I showed him that many were just courtesy invites to special friends overseas.

One thing I decided right from the start, if I was going to go to a lot of work, I didn’t want the party to whiz by so quickly I couldn’t enjoy it. On this Larry was in complete accord. So we decided to have it all start at 4 PM with drinks and jazz, then go on all weekend for those who wished to stay.

The Jane Gifford arrived just as the Men’s team was putting up flags and lights along the jetty. The men’s team includes Tom Jackson off Sunstone, Larry of course and Doug Schmuck who sailed here 22 years ago and never went home.

The reality, when it happened was beyond our imaginations. The party lasted 6 days! Favorite friends flew in from Boston, Vancouver, and Sydney Australia. Others came from several hundred miles away. Some stayed with us, in our guest beds, on board Taleisin, others at the B and B across the bay. Most sailed in and anchored in the bay. More than a hundred joined us including 3 gatecrashers. The weather also joined the party, changing from wet, windy and cold all week, to bright and sunny with light breezes from Friday through Sunday.

Friday morning four women plus my adopted 5 year old grand-daughter Lexi who all have homes in the cove, joined Larry’s cousin Marie-belle and Marsha Abloirtz her partner (our Canadian visitors) to wrap 120 baking potatoes, slice onions, set out strings of fairy lights while Larry and three other sailing friends set up two marquees, moved barbeques into place and actually cleaned his shop, then strung flags, marquee lights and electric chords. (A barge had brought the marquees two days earlier). That evening we headed over to the only café on this road-free island, one that usually does not open for the evenings until December. But Maree, the owner and chef not only prepared all the desserts for our party, but opened the café as she knew I would not feel like feeding all my guests and early arrivals the night before a big do. She was right. Twenty-two of us sat down for dinner, some sailing in unexpectedly just in time to join us.

A sampling of the highlights of a fine long affair

Saturday morning we had far too many folks offering to do far to little work. So there were many hands available to help the Jane Gifford into her berth to serve as our centerpiece and party decoration. Jane Gifford is a 100-year-old sailing scow that used to carry freight from the mainland to the islands around here. Now she will help raise awareness of the water resources around our island. She has just passed survey after a complete rebuild and this was her very first outing. With her in position and many hands helping all was ready with time to spare for a bit of rest before we donned our Halloween garb.

Larry dressed as a classic host, top hat, silk waist coat, velvet britches, and cravat (soon stained with wine), I came as Her Majesty – my tiara constantly threatening to fall off, my scepter actually a fairy wand loaned to me by Lexi. The five piece jazz band arrived on the 3 PM water taxi along with Stephen Robinson and Lou who had made up 150 gourmet hamburger patties. By 4 PM when folks began arriving by water taxi, by dinghy, by kayak and even a few by foot across the hill top, lovely music was wafting over the quiet waters.

What fun costumes folks created, from a pink fairy to Doctor of Destruction, from Evil Knevil to Pippi Longstockings, with a few pirates and flying aces thrown in for luck. Doug Schmuck who we have always called “the beaver” because of how hard he works, managed to dress as a Rastafarian Beaver!

Dinner was a real hit, 150 thick juicy hamburgers, 200 gourmet sausages hand made by the ward winning sausage and olive oil makers Greg and Kath Scopas, baked potatoes and Larry’s favorite beans (recipe follows for several friends who asked – it is also in our Care and Feeding of Sailing crew book) and for dessert, wonderful organic ice cream to accompany maple pecan pie, white chocolate macadamia nut brownies, dark chocolate brownies,

But it was the Rock and Roll band that arrived, with a complete drum kit that filled the water taxi, the wonderful mood and the sparkling waters of the bay that made the evening. Couldn’t have had a better choice of music, everyone from 30 to 75 was up dancing – the marquee was barely big enough to hold it all. Several guests offered to pay the band extra to play on after midnight, but unfortunately the taxi to take them home usually doesn’t run as late as it did that night so they declined after 4 1/2 straight hours of playing with only one 15 minute break.

George Dow and the lovely gift he brought, one of the original deadlights from Seraffyn

Fun moments, our Gatecrashers. As we were greeting yet another water taxi load of guests, a couple we didn’t recognized walked up the jetty with a charming 2-year-old boy. When we looked puzzled Peter and Antonia Murphy introduced themselves, “You don’t know us, we’re gate crashers. But we anchored in your bay a few hours ago and someone told us about your party and I just spent the last hour writing you a birthday ode.” My response, “What’s a party without gate crashers?” You can read their Ode below or at their blog – www.svsereia.com. They fit right in and we look forward to when they return from circumnavigating New Zealand so we can actually get to know them.

Then there was the fun of watching the youngsters taking turns sailing our dinghy most of the afternoon, then becoming friends and soon setting up a play room in pool room under our house while we adults danced the night away.

By 230 all was quiet for the night. Next morning 18 showed up for a wonderful breakfast of leftovers and by late afternoon had helped us disassemble the marquees, clean up the house and boatyard. That evening we had a quiet dinner with the five of the guests who had come from overseas including Roy blow, from Australia who helped us make our first three videos plus George Dow and his son from Boston. George has owned Seraffyn for nine years now and makes us feel like she is still partially ours. He had kept one of her original deck prisms after he had a new deck laid. Now he gave it to us in a well-finished teak frame as a very special gift. Our other overseas guests had made friends with various sailors during the party and left that day as crew on some fine boats.

Monday morning we farewelled our last guests as they boarded the water taxi at the end of our jetty. As we turned to walk back down the jetty I said to Larry, “I guess the party is finally over, kind of sad in a way.” He agreed then suggested we stop and sit down in Taleisin’s cockpit for a few moments to savor the wonderful memories of a special week, to reminisce about the wonderful friends we have made only because we decided to run away to sea.

The party is over but the memories will last forever!

Though this is a newsletter and not a movie, I would like to include a few end credits:

I include this recipe here because, though it sounds deceptively easy, I have had dozens of requests for it after the party. I saw folks going back for seconds and thirds late into the evening.

For each large can of beans:

Add

Stir as you bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Turn off heat and allow mixture to sit at least 2 hours.
Re-heat just before serving.
The “sitting time” is important as it lets the raisins absorb the moisture and curry flavor.

For the party, I prepared these the day before and let them sit for the night – no need to refrigerate if used within 24 hours.

If you have a favorite Pardey book or DVD, let other sailors know by adding a review on amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, borders.com or your favorite book site. Thanks to all who have already done so!